1. Prior Art
Prior art shows the use of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags utilized extensively in the prior art and in conjunction with monitoring devices over various areas.
Maloney; U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,913, shows the use of RFID tags on keys in order to monitor the use of keys over a predetermined area.
Examples of the use of this technology are fairly widespread including Curkendell, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,839 which shows the use of RFID tags retracting livestock and includes the storage of data in order to maintain the data which is consistent with the method taught in Maloney whereby information can be stored in order to determine authorized and unauthorized use.
Pruett; U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,440 shows the use of this technology for tracking computers.
Blackenship et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,291 shows the use of RFID codes to control a manufacturing process.
Ohanian, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,208 shows the use of RFID tags in order to track tax paperwork.
Two additional patents of Pruett U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,059 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,790 both show the use of tracking modules in different embodiments for following computer elements.
Mufti, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,425 shows the use of ID badges used in conjunction with RF transmitters to receiver units located across telephone networks with the receiver units in or near telephone sets for purposes of tracking a user wearing an ID badge containing an RF transmitter.
Sims, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,775 shows the use of tracking devices which are also associated with equipment conditioned as well as location.
Flies, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,573, shows the lot for use of conductive pathways between conductive areas on a circuit board.
Fridden, U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,301; shows the use of an RFID transponder within the body of an asset or attached to the body of an asset with flexible straps for identifying and tracking products.
Maloney; U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,764 shows the use of RFID tags attached to objects which tags having antennaes which are activated to transmit a unique code identifying the object. The radio frequency transmissions can be through compasitative coupling or industrial loops for conveying the transmission though inductive couplings. Computer based controllers identified which couple through the antennae receptacle for receiving transmitter codes and determining the presence and location of objects within storage units.
Black; U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,776 shows the use of RFID readers and RFID transponders in order to track equipment to identify, locate, and monitor equipment and other object.
Brady; U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,227 shows RFID technology used for inventory tracking and short distance communication between assets. It shows the use of integration of the RFID components at different levels into the products to be monitored.
Welch, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,363; shows the use of RFID transponders activated by use or non-use of particular medical devices and Maloney, U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,665 shows the use of RFID transponders for tracking removable objects from a location and determining the presence or absence of objects within certain location.
Foster; U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,414 shows the use of machine readable indicia in cabinets which are scanned by a reader in the cabinet.
Some of the patents showing the controls of signal strength in transmission are shown in Lemson U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,849; Lawlor U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,501 which shows the connection between terminals in a central computer over a dial up telephone lines and packet data networks and Sasaki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,105 shows a level detector which detects the level of the input or output signal for dealing with signal strengths over a wide range.
Thro; U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,002 shows another method of calibrating strength of signals to a microprocessor.
Riordan U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,349 shows a method of controlling the amplitude of random burst signals in a time hash division of multiple access communication system and controls amplitude of signal bursts utilizing time dependant methods.
2. General Discussion of the Invention
The prior art fails to provide for tracking where large numbers of radio frequency (rf) signals are tracked within human populations. It also does not provide a method for tracking where powered transceivers are impractical over large areas. There is also a failure of the prior art to apply the technology of tracking to changing areas, tracking typically being done is static environments.
The present invention taught in this specification would allow movements within a facility to be tracked and documented. It would also allow tracking outside of a set environment to alternate environments, even homes.
Inmates in a prison system are specifically tracked in this invention. These inmates would be issued a hospital type wrist band that, when clamped on the wrist completes a circuit. Products could be labeled with a band which could fit over a seal. Completing this circuit enables a chip embedded in the band to respond with an identification number every time a radio beam is sent to the band.
The user would install transponders (transmitters and receivers in one) at spaced intervals in, for example, a jail/prison facility. These transmitters would be programmed to send out a pulse at a set and/or configurable amount of time. The bands, having passing transceivers described in more detail below in each area will response. These responses and their location will be entered into a database. The responses will be compared against the inmate population expected to be within the confines of the jail/prison area. If a response is not received from every inmate in the system, the missing inmate's ID will be alerted in a manner which is user configurable through the systems interface. An alert may appear on the screen or utilize expanded alerting function for other alert methods and can all be combined or used individually or grouped; which are set by the user as described in more detail below.
The user interface would have a floor plan diagram of the facility and would allow for searches much like our current web based inmate monitoring and control system. Utilizing our system, the facility would be able to immediately locate any inmate in the facility. Additionally, the facility would be able to perform flexible searches based on the time and date, user ID, area numbers assigned by the facility, or many other criteria that can be customized for a friendlier interface that is intuitive and informative. In other words, the end user could set the search up to show the movements of an inmate with ID number 1004 for the last two (2) days. The result would be a detailed track of where the inmate had started and finished within the scope of the query requested. An example would be a dot moving around on the screen with the date and time shown at each dot where there was a recorded time interval. Coding could be done with progressive color searches as by going from light to dark, green to yellow to red as a particular time is approached. Another search could identify every inmate in a particular area in a given time span or in real time. Thus, an officer could identify the inmates in the area should an incident occur for investigation or for tracking of the population determining usage of areas or for use in conjunction with other systems. An example of this later use would be the inmate location with a pin code so phone could ensure a particular inmate was using a particular PIN number before authorizing a call.
In addition, as the inmate moved through various areas, the software through a centralized computer could reprogram the tracking so that inmates could be tracked at the new locations and to confirm arrival. Through the use of the local and corresponding remote central procession units updating one another, enhanced tracking would be possible. Using comparison software, signals from bracelets not expected to be present could be selected, identified and irregularities cleared up.
The bands would be so configured as to become disabled if removed (by breaking the band), thus creating an alarm on the inmate whose tag did not respond.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a telephone apparatus for communicating telephones located at a facility with the PSTN. A phone system is located at the facility, including switching means for connecting the telephones with the PSTN. Access control data is provided which includes phone-related data and PIN number-related data. Control means actuates the switching means in accordance with the access control data. A computerized central office is located remotely from the facility. A computer workstation is located at the facility along with a computer file server, a computerized recording system and means for communicating the central office, workstation, file server and recording system.
Yet another aspect of the invention is directed to a telephone apparatus for controlling access by telephones located at a facility to the PSTN and recording selected phone conversations. Means is provided for storing access control data and recoding control data. Call-related data particular to an attempted call being made form one of the telephones is provided. A phone system is located at the facility, including access control means for providing selected access from the one telephone to the PSTN by connecting the attempted call based on a comparison of the access control data with the call-related data. Recording means is coupled to the phone system for recording conversation data generated when an attempted call has been connected to the PSTN. Recording control means selects which connected calls are to be recorded based on a comparison of the call-related data with the recording control data. Storage means (typically hard drives and ram) stores the conversation data of connected calls selected to be recorded.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a passive device to send a radio frequency (RF) signal in response to a signal from a sensor (transceiver) with or without telephones monitoring a system an individual or object and associating the marker with a pin number or other data. Call information or monitored information may be stored with data on the passive device of location relative to sensor with or without other data.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a transceiver phone system with an interface means for connection to a CPU means for receiving storing information from a group of information comprised of individuals present, location, the locations from and to which the call or monitoring is made, the name or the maker, time when made and when finished, data fo the call, telephone numbers (to where the call is made) and inmate location.
It is an additional object of the invention to convert the monitored data to a digital format for storage and to maintain a database of data, voices or sounds in a digital format, particularly secondary ring signals, and to compare the digital database of voice or sounds or data (particularly phone numbers, names, addresses and are codes) based on user controlled degrees of similarity and to take different actions from a group of actions including alerting, locking in, generating visual or audible alarms, monitoring, marking, terminating or playing a recording before, after or in conjunction with the ongoing call based on a sensor location.
It is a further object of the invention to encode the information in a format providing that any alteration of the data will result in a mark showing the data has been altered.
It is a further object to allow for data to be selected, stored or played back to be altered at a graphical user interface, such as a keyboard type entry with a graphic format showing location.
Another object of the invention is to facilitate the use of a phone system located at a facility to record phone conversations originating from any of its telephones.
Another object of the invention is to facilitate the selected retrieval of phone conversations recorded by the phone system.
A further object of the invention is to control access by individual users to areas based on a run usage and RF signals associated with the individuals.
Yet another object of the invention is to control the recording of phone conversations based on the identity of individual telephone users.
These and other objects of the invention are attained in accordance with one aspect of the invention which is directed to a telephone system for communicating telephones located at a facility with a public switched telephone network (PSTN). A switching means connects the telephones with the PSTN. Access control data is provided which includes phone-related data and PIN number-related data. Control means actuates the switching means in accordance with the access control.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become better understood hereinafter from a consideration of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, and in which like numerals correspond to parts throughout the several views of the invention.